Kingdom Monera Monerans: single celled organisms with no nucleus Prochlorococcus marinus are an example of a moneran in the Coral Reef. Prochlorococcus marinus are found everywhere in the ocean, including the Coral Reef. They are mainly found between 40 degrees N, and 40 degrees S. Prochlorococcus marinus are considered the most plentiful species on the planet with 1 milliliter of water containing 100,000 or more cells. Worldwide, it is estimated to be around 100 octillion Prochlorococcus marinus. Prochlorococcus marinus is the smallest photosynthetic organism in the world measuring only 0.5-0.8 micrometers across. A surprising fact is that they are responsible for an estimated 20% of all oxygen in the earth's atmosphere.
Prochlorococcus marinus
Serratia marcescens is another example of a moneran in the Coral Reef. Serratia marcesens is found in the intestines of humans and animals, but can survive in soil and water. They are the main cause of death in marine invertebrates. They live near the elkhorn coral in the Florida Keys, and cause them to have white pox. Serratia marcesens consumes the thin layer of tissue that covers the coral's limestone skeleton, which slowly kills it. Symptoms of Serratia marcesens on the Elkhorn coral will include large white lesions on the elkhorn coral. This eventually leads to death.
Serratia marcesens
Kingdom Protista
Protists: single celled organisms with a nucleus and other organelles Coralline algae are an example of a protist that lives in the Coral Reef. Corraline algae is in the family Corallinaceae, in the order Corallinales. They are a type of red algae. Coralline algae lives in many places even within the Coral Reef. They are epiphytic so they live on other marine angiosperms, or they are epizoic, which means they live on animals. Some are parasitic, and live on their own species. They play an important view in Coral Reefs because they provide food for other organisms.
Coralline algae
Another example of a protist in the Coral Reef is the Symbiodinium microadriaticium. This species is a type of single celled algae. The Symbiodinium microadriaticium lives inside the Hematypic, or reefbuilding coral, within the Coral Reef itself. The Coral Polyp originally feeds on the Symbiodinium microadriaticium then the Symbiodinium microadriaticium breeds in the polyp. The Symbiodinium microadriaticium is also found in jellyfish and clams.
Symbiodinium microadriaticium
Kingdom Fungi Fungi: multi-celled organisms with no chlorophyll, that absorb their nutrients from other organisms Ceriosporopsis halima is an example of a saltwater fungus. They live on pieces of submerged wood in the open ocean, or on mangrove wood near the shore. They mainly live in tropical saltwater areas. Ceriosporopsis halima does not have a common name.
Cerioporopsis halima
Aspergillus niger is another example of a saltwater fungus. The Aspergillus niger lives mainly in the sponges in the Coral Reefs. They cause black mold in onions, and cause humans to have aspergillosis. The common name for the Aspergillus niger is black mold.
Aspergillus niger
Kingdom PlantaePlants: Multi-cellular organisms with a cell wall, and chlorophyll that make their own food through the process of photosynthesis.
Sonneratia pagatpat is an angiosperm in the Coral Reef. Sonneratia pagatpat is a mangrove, and it lives in large mangrove forests. Coral Reefs protect mangrove forests from storms, and in return mangrove forests provide Coral Reefs with dead and living matter for the organisms in the Coral Reef to feed on. The common name for the Sonneratia pagatpat is the mangrove apple. The classification for Sonneratia pagatpat is as follows:
Pyrrosia eleagnifolia is a fern that lives near the coral reef. Pyrrosia eleagnifolia lives in the shorelines near the coral reef. The common name for the Pyrrosia eleagnifolia is the Leather leaf fern.
The crystalwort is a bryophyte, specifically a liverwort, near the coral reef. The scientific name for the crystalwort is Riccia fluitans. Riccia fluitans is found stranded on shorelines near the ocean.
Equisetum fluviatile is a horsetail that lives near the coral reef. Equisetum fluviatile lives in dense colonies along the shorelines. The common name for the Equisetum fluviatile is the water horsetail.
Huperzia phlegmaria is a Lycopodiophyta living near the Coral Reef. Huperzia phlegmaria lives in small islands, like in the Pacific Ocean, which has many Coral Reefs. The common name for the Huperzia phlegmaria is the tassel fern.
The seaside juniper is a conifer. The scientific name for the seaside juniper is Juniperus maritima. The seaside juniper lives on the seaside, as its name says.
The flatfork fern is a whisk fern. The scientific name for the flatfork fern is Psilotum complanatum. Psilotum complanatum lives on small islands like the Fiji islands, and the Nicobar Islands.
Birds:The Red tailed Tropicbird is a bird that lives near the Coral Reef. The scientific name is Phaethon rubricauda. The Red tailed Tropicbird lives in atolls and oceanic islands. The Red tailed Tropic bird is a carnivore, and eats fish and squid.
The Wedge-tailed Shearwater is another bird. The Scientific name is Puffinus pacificus. The Wedge-tailed Shearbird lives in islands throughout the tropical areas in the Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean. The Wedge-tailed Shearbird is a carnivore, and eats fish, squid, and crustaceans.
Mollusks: The Caribbean Reef squid is a mollusk that lives in the Coral Reef. The scientific name is Sepioteuthis sepioidea. The Caribbean Reef squid lives in shallow coral reefs in the Caribbean Sea, and off the coast of Florida. The Caribbean Reef squid is a carnivore, and eats small fish, crustaceans, and other mollusks.
The Queen Conch is another mollusk in the Coral Reef. The scientific name is Strombus gigas. The Queen Conch lives in warm shallow waters in grassbeds of the Caribbean Sea. The Queen Conch is a herbivore and eats seagrasses and algae.
Reptiles: The Green turtle is a reptile that lives in the Coral Reef. The scientific name is Chelonia mydas. The Green turtle lives in seagrass beds, shallow coastal waters and coral reefs, and deep waters in their earlier stages of life. The Green turtle mainly lives in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Young green turtles are carnivores, and the older turtles are herbivores, living near seagrass beds.
The Hawksbill turtle is another reptile. The scientific name is Eretmochelys imbricata. The Hawksbill turtle lives in tropical reefs in the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic Ocean. The Hawksbill Turtle is a carnivore, and mainly feeds on sponges.
Mammals: The West Indian Manatee is another mammal living in the coral reef. The scientific name is Trichechus manatus. The West Indian Manatee lives in shallow coastal waters, and canals in the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea, where a lot of Coral Reefs are found. The West Indian Manatee is a herbivore, and eats sea grasses, and plants from the coral reef.
The Common Bottlenose dolphin is another mammal. The scientific name is Tursiops truncatus. The Common Bottlenose dolphin is found in tropical and temperate seas worldwide. The Common Bottlenose Dolphin is a carnivore, and mainly eats small fish and squid.
Cartilaginous fishes: The Tiger shark is a Cartilaginous fish living in the Coral Reef. The scientific name is Galeocerdo cuvier. The tiger shark lives close to the shore in tropical and subtropical waters, and can also be found in Coral Atolls and small islands in the Pacific Ocean. The Tiger shark is a carnivore, and eats squid, fish, birds, seals, sharks, sea turtles, and other types of animal life.
The Nurse Shark is another Cartilaginous fish. The scientific name is Ginglymostoma cirratum. The Nurse Shark lives in reefs, and channels between mangrove islands and sand flats in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Caribbean Sea. The Nurse Shark is a carnivore, and eats crustaceans, mollusks, sea snakes, fish, stingrays, shrimp, sea urchins, octopi, squid, and marine snails.
Arthopods: The Scarlet Reef Hermit Crab is a Arthopod in the Coral Reef. The Scientific name is Paguristes cadenati. This crab lives in coral rubble in Coral Reefs in the Caribbean Sea, and Atlantic ocean. The Scarlet Reef Hermit Crab is a herbivore and eats algae and cyanobacteria.
The Marble shrimp is another arthopod. The scientific name is Saron marmoratus. The Marble shrimp lives in Coral Reefs in the Indo-Pacific and Hawaii. The Marble shrimp is a carnivore, and eats fish and plankton.
Roundworms: The Magnificent Feather Duster lives in the coral reef. The scientific name is Sabellastarte magnifica. The Magnificent Feather Duster lives in Coral Reefs in the Caribbean Sea, and the Atlantic Ocean. The Magnificent Feather Duster is an herbivore, and mainly eats algae and sea grasses.
The Christmas Tree Worm is another roundworm. The scientific name is Spirobranchus giganteus. The Christmas Tree Worm lives in Coral Reefs in the Indo-Pacific, and the Caribbean Sea. The Christmas Tree Worm is a carnivore, and eats zooplankton.
Bony Fish: The titan triggerfish is a fish at the coral reef. The scientific name is Balistoides viridescens. The titan triggerfish lives in flat areas of the reef, in Coral Reefs in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The titan triggerfish is an omnivore, and eats coral, shellfish, crustaceans, fish, as well as algae.
The lagoon triggerfish or the blackbar triggerfish is another fish. The scientific name is Rhinecanthus aculeatus. The lagoon triggerfish lives in flat and sandy areas in Indo-Pacific Coral Reefs. The titan triggerfish is a omnivore and eats algae, small fish, worms, sea urchins, coral, and crustaceans.
The Blackspotted puffer is a fish in the Coral Reef. The scientific name is Arothron nigropunctatus. The Blackspotted puffer lives in reefs in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The Blackspotted puffer is an omnivore, and eats algae, coral, sponges, seasquirts, mollusks, and crustaceans.
The White-spotted Puffer is another fish in the Coral Reef. The scientific name is Arothron hispidus. The White-spotted puffer lives in the SE Atlantic Ocean, E Pacific Ocean, and the Indian Ocean in reefs, lagoons, estuaries, and tide pools. The White-spotted puffer is an omnivore, and eats coralline algae, mollusks, sponges, coral, crustaceans, seastars, urchins, worms, and corals.
Echinoderms: The Crown-of-Thorns Starfish is an Echinoderm in the Coral Reef. The scientific name is Acanthaster planci. The Crown-of-Thorns Starfish lives in reefs in the Red Sea, Indian Ocean, and Pacific Ocean. The Crown-of-Thorns Starfish is a carnivore, and most known for its eating of Coral Polyps.
The Blue sea star is another echinoderm. The scientific name is Linckia laevigata. The Blue sea star lives in shallow, tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, and the Pacific Ocean. The Blue sea star is a carnivore, and eats sponges and clams.
The Purple Sea Urchin is another echinoderm. The scientific name is Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. The Purple Sea Urchin lives in rocky, shallow seafloors in the Pacific Ocean, and off the West Coast of North America. The Purple sea urchin is a carnivore, and eats sponges, mussels, and barnacles.
Sponges: The Clavelina picta is a sponge found in the Coral Reef. The Clavelina picta is also called the Painted Tunicate. The Painted Tunicate lives in mangroves or harbors or other places below the surface. The Painted Tunicate is a omnivore and eats anything it sucks in such as plankton.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Ascidiacea
Order: Enterogona
Family: Clavelinidae
Genus: Clavelina
species: picta
Clavelina picta
The Xestospongia testudinaria is another sponge. It is also called the Barrel Sponge. The Barrel Sponge lives in coral reefs, lagoons, or on any rock or coral substance. The Barrel Sponge is an omnivore and eats anything that it sucks in.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Poifera
Class: Demospongiae
Order: Haposclerida
Family: Petrosiidae
Genus: Xestospongia
species: testudinaria
Barrel Sponge
Flatworms: The Pseudobiceros hancockanus is a flatworm. The common name is Hancock's flatworm. The Hancock's flatworm lives under rubble in the coral reef. The Hancock's flatworm is a carnivore that eats colonial tunicates.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Platyhelminthes
Class: Turbellaria
Order: Polycladida
Family: Pseudoceritidae
Genus: Pseudobiceros
species:hancockanus
Hancock's flatworm
The Red-Rim flatworm is another flatworm. The scientific name is Pseudoceros splendidus. The Red-Rim flatworm lives on rocks in Coral Reefs. The Red-Rim flatworm is a carnivore.
Coelenterates: On etype of coral is the Dendrogyra cylindricus. The Dendrogyra cylindricus is also known as the Pillar Coral. Pillar Coral lives at the bottom of the ocean at 200 feet maximum. The Pillar Coral can catch microscopic plankton to small fish they prefer to eat a photosynthetic algea called zooxanthellae. The Pillar Coral is a carnivore.
Another example is the Diploria labyrinthiformis. The common name is Brain Coral. Brain Coral lives in outer or offshore reefs. Brain Coral eats zooxanthellae amd is a carnivore.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum:
Class:
Order:
Family:
Genus: Diploria
species: labyrinthiformis
Brain Coral
Jawless Fish: The Chaenopsis limbaughi, or Yellowface Pikeblenny, is a jawless fish that lives in the coral reef. The Yellowface Pikeblenny lives in seagrasses. It eats shrimp, worms, and planktonic copepods so it is a carnivore.
The Ophioblennius atlanticus is another jawless fish found in the coral reef. The common name is the Redlip Blenny. It eats algea and detritus. The Redlip Blenny is an omnivore.
Coral Reef Facts
Kingdom Monera
Monerans: single celled organisms with no nucleus
Prochlorococcus marinus are an example of a moneran in the Coral Reef. Prochlorococcus marinus are found everywhere in the ocean, including the Coral Reef. They are mainly found between 40 degrees N, and 40 degrees S. Prochlorococcus marinus are considered the most plentiful species on the planet with 1 milliliter of water containing 100,000 or more cells. Worldwide, it is estimated to be around 100 octillion Prochlorococcus marinus. Prochlorococcus marinus is the smallest photosynthetic organism in the world measuring only 0.5-0.8 micrometers across. A surprising fact is that they are responsible for an estimated 20% of all oxygen in the earth's atmosphere.
Serratia marcescens is another example of a moneran in the Coral Reef. Serratia marcesens is found in the intestines of humans and animals, but can survive in soil and water. They are the main cause of death in marine invertebrates. They live near the elkhorn coral in the Florida Keys, and cause them to have white pox. Serratia marcesens consumes the thin layer of tissue that covers the coral's limestone skeleton, which slowly kills it. Symptoms of Serratia marcesens on the Elkhorn coral will include large white lesions on the elkhorn coral. This eventually leads to death.
Kingdom Protista
Protists: single celled organisms with a nucleus and other organellesCoralline algae are an example of a protist that lives in the Coral Reef. Corraline algae is in the family Corallinaceae, in the order Corallinales. They are a type of red algae. Coralline algae lives in many places even within the Coral Reef. They are epiphytic so they live on other marine angiosperms, or they are epizoic, which means they live on animals. Some are parasitic, and live on their own species. They play an important view in Coral Reefs because they provide food for other organisms.
Another example of a protist in the Coral Reef is the Symbiodinium microadriaticium. This species is a type of single celled algae. The Symbiodinium microadriaticium lives inside the Hematypic, or reefbuilding coral, within the Coral Reef itself. The Coral Polyp originally feeds on the Symbiodinium microadriaticium then the Symbiodinium microadriaticium breeds in the polyp. The Symbiodinium microadriaticium is also found in jellyfish and clams.
Kingdom Fungi
Fungi: multi-celled organisms with no chlorophyll, that absorb their nutrients from other organisms
Ceriosporopsis halima is an example of a saltwater fungus. They live on pieces of submerged wood in the open ocean, or on mangrove wood near the shore. They mainly live in tropical saltwater areas. Ceriosporopsis halima does not have a common name.
Aspergillus niger is another example of a saltwater fungus. The Aspergillus niger lives mainly in the sponges in the Coral Reefs. They cause black mold in onions, and cause humans to have aspergillosis. The common name for the Aspergillus niger is black mold.
Kingdom Plantae Plants: Multi-cellular organisms with a cell wall, and chlorophyll that make their own food through the process of photosynthesis.
Sonneratia pagatpat is an angiosperm in the Coral Reef. Sonneratia pagatpat is a mangrove, and it lives in large mangrove forests. Coral Reefs protect mangrove forests from storms, and in return mangrove forests provide Coral Reefs with dead and living matter for the organisms in the Coral Reef to feed on. The common name for the Sonneratia pagatpat is the mangrove apple. The classification for Sonneratia pagatpat is as follows:
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Myrtales
Family: Lythraceae
Genus: Sonneratia
species: pagatpat
Pyrrosia eleagnifolia is a fern that lives near the coral reef. Pyrrosia eleagnifolia lives in the shorelines near the coral reef. The common name for the Pyrrosia eleagnifolia is the Leather leaf fern.
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Pteridophyta
Class: Filicopsida
Order: Polypodiales
Family: Polypodiaceae
Genus: Pyrrosia
Species: eleagnifolia
The crystalwort is a bryophyte, specifically a liverwort, near the coral reef. The scientific name for the crystalwort is Riccia fluitans. Riccia fluitans is found stranded on shorelines near the ocean.
Kingdom: Pantae
Division: Marchantiophyta
Class: Marchantiopsida
Order: Marchantiales
Family: Ricciaceae
Genus: Ricca
species: fluitans
Equisetum fluviatile is a horsetail that lives near the coral reef. Equisetum fluviatile lives in dense colonies along the shorelines. The common name for the Equisetum fluviatile is the water horsetail.
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Equistophyta
Class: Equisetopsida
Order: Equistales
Family: Equisetaceae
Genus: Equisetum
species: fluviatile
Huperzia phlegmaria is a Lycopodiophyta living near the Coral Reef. Huperzia phlegmaria lives in small islands, like in the Pacific Ocean, which has many Coral Reefs. The common name for the Huperzia phlegmaria is the tassel fern.
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Lycopodiophyta
Class: Lycopodiopsida
Order: Lycopodiales
Family: Lycopodiaceae
Genus: Huperzia
species: phlegmaria
The seaside juniper is a conifer. The scientific name for the seaside juniper is Juniperus maritima. The seaside juniper lives on the seaside, as its name says.
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Pinophyta
Class: Pinopsida
Order: Pinales
Family: Cupressaceae
Genus: Juniperus
species: maritima
The flatfork fern is a whisk fern. The scientific name for the flatfork fern is Psilotum complanatum. Psilotum complanatum lives on small islands like the Fiji islands, and the Nicobar Islands.
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Pteridophyta
Class: Psilotopsida
Order: Psilotales
Family: Psilotaceae
Genus: Psilotum
species: complanatum
Kingdom Animalia
Birds: The Red tailed Tropicbird is a bird that lives near the Coral Reef. The scientific name is Phaethon rubricauda. The Red tailed Tropicbird lives in atolls and oceanic islands. The Red tailed Tropic bird is a carnivore, and eats fish and squid.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Pelecaniformes
Family: Phaethontidae
Genus: Phaethon
species: rubricauda
The Wedge-tailed Shearwater is another bird. The Scientific name is Puffinus pacificus. The Wedge-tailed Shearbird lives in islands throughout the tropical areas in the Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean. The Wedge-tailed Shearbird is a carnivore, and eats fish, squid, and crustaceans.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Procellariiformes
Family: Procellariidae
Genus: Puffinus
species: pacificus
Mollusks: The Caribbean Reef squid is a mollusk that lives in the Coral Reef. The scientific name is Sepioteuthis sepioidea. The Caribbean Reef squid lives in shallow coral reefs in the Caribbean Sea, and off the coast of Florida. The Caribbean Reef squid is a carnivore, and eats small fish, crustaceans, and other mollusks.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Cephalopoda
Order: Teuthida
Family: Loliginidae
Genus: Sepioteuthis
species: sepioidea
The Queen Conch is another mollusk in the Coral Reef. The scientific name is Strombus gigas. The Queen Conch lives in warm shallow waters in grassbeds of the Caribbean Sea. The Queen Conch is a herbivore and eats seagrasses and algae.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Order: Sorbeoconcha
Family: Strombidae
Genus: Strombus
species: gigas
Reptiles: The Green turtle is a reptile that lives in the Coral Reef. The scientific name is Chelonia mydas. The Green turtle lives in seagrass beds, shallow coastal waters and coral reefs, and deep waters in their earlier stages of life. The Green turtle mainly lives in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Young green turtles are carnivores, and the older turtles are herbivores, living near seagrass beds.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Family: Cheloniidae
Genus: Chelonia
species: mydas
The Hawksbill turtle is another reptile. The scientific name is Eretmochelys imbricata. The Hawksbill turtle lives in tropical reefs in the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic Ocean. The Hawksbill Turtle is a carnivore, and mainly feeds on sponges.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Family: Cheloniidae
Genus: Eretmochelys
species: imbricata
Mammals: The West Indian Manatee is another mammal living in the coral reef. The scientific name is Trichechus manatus. The West Indian Manatee lives in shallow coastal waters, and canals in the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea, where a lot of Coral Reefs are found. The West Indian Manatee is a herbivore, and eats sea grasses, and plants from the coral reef.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Sirenia
Family: Trichechidae
Genus: Trichechus
species: manatus
The Common Bottlenose dolphin is another mammal. The scientific name is Tursiops truncatus. The Common Bottlenose dolphin is found in tropical and temperate seas worldwide. The Common Bottlenose Dolphin is a carnivore, and mainly eats small fish and squid.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Cetacea
Family: Delphinidae
Genus: Tursiops
species: truncatus
Cartilaginous fishes: The Tiger shark is a Cartilaginous fish living in the Coral Reef. The scientific name is Galeocerdo cuvier. The tiger shark lives close to the shore in tropical and subtropical waters, and can also be found in Coral Atolls and small islands in the Pacific Ocean. The Tiger shark is a carnivore, and eats squid, fish, birds, seals, sharks, sea turtles, and other types of animal life.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Order: Carcharhiniformes
Family: Carcharhinidae
Genus: Galeocerdo
species: cuvier
The Nurse Shark is another Cartilaginous fish. The scientific name is Ginglymostoma cirratum. The Nurse Shark lives in reefs, and channels between mangrove islands and sand flats in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Caribbean Sea. The Nurse Shark is a carnivore, and eats crustaceans, mollusks, sea snakes, fish, stingrays, shrimp, sea urchins, octopi, squid, and marine snails.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Order: Orectolobiformes
Family: Ginglymostomatidae
Genus: Ginglymostoma
species: cirratum
Arthopods: The Scarlet Reef Hermit Crab is a Arthopod in the Coral Reef. The Scientific name is Paguristes cadenati. This crab lives in coral rubble in Coral Reefs in the Caribbean Sea, and Atlantic ocean. The Scarlet Reef Hermit Crab is a herbivore and eats algae and cyanobacteria.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Family: Diogenidae
Genus: Paguristes
species: candenati
The Marble shrimp is another arthopod. The scientific name is Saron marmoratus. The Marble shrimp lives in Coral Reefs in the Indo-Pacific and Hawaii. The Marble shrimp is a carnivore, and eats fish and plankton.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Family: Hippolytidae
Genus: Saron
species: marmoratus
Roundworms: The Magnificent Feather Duster lives in the coral reef. The scientific name is Sabellastarte magnifica. The Magnificent Feather Duster lives in Coral Reefs in the Caribbean Sea, and the Atlantic Ocean. The Magnificent Feather Duster is an herbivore, and mainly eats algae and sea grasses.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Annelida
Class: Polychaeta
Order: Canalipalpata
Family: Sabellidae
Genus: Sabellastarte
species: magnifica
The Christmas Tree Worm is another roundworm. The scientific name is Spirobranchus giganteus. The Christmas Tree Worm lives in Coral Reefs in the Indo-Pacific, and the Caribbean Sea. The Christmas Tree Worm is a carnivore, and eats zooplankton.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Annelida
Class: Polychaeta
Order: Canalipalpata
Family: Serpulidae
Genus: Spirobranchus
species: giganteus
Bony Fish: The titan triggerfish is a fish at the coral reef. The scientific name is Balistoides viridescens. The titan triggerfish lives in flat areas of the reef, in Coral Reefs in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The titan triggerfish is an omnivore, and eats coral, shellfish, crustaceans, fish, as well as algae.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Tetraodontiformes
Family: Balistidae
Genus: Balistoides
species: viridescens
The lagoon triggerfish or the blackbar triggerfish is another fish. The scientific name is Rhinecanthus aculeatus. The lagoon triggerfish lives in flat and sandy areas in Indo-Pacific Coral Reefs. The titan triggerfish is a omnivore and eats algae, small fish, worms, sea urchins, coral, and crustaceans.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Tetraodontiformes
Family: Balistidae
Genus: Rhinecanthus
species: aculeatus
The Blackspotted puffer is a fish in the Coral Reef. The scientific name is Arothron nigropunctatus. The Blackspotted puffer lives in reefs in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The Blackspotted puffer is an omnivore, and eats algae, coral, sponges, seasquirts, mollusks, and crustaceans.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Tetraodontiformes
Family: Tetraodontidae
Genus: Arothron
species: nigropunctatus
The White-spotted Puffer is another fish in the Coral Reef. The scientific name is Arothron hispidus. The White-spotted puffer lives in the SE Atlantic Ocean, E Pacific Ocean, and the Indian Ocean in reefs, lagoons, estuaries, and tide pools. The White-spotted puffer is an omnivore, and eats coralline algae, mollusks, sponges, coral, crustaceans, seastars, urchins, worms, and corals.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Tetraodontiformes
Family: Tetraodontidae
Genus: Arothron
species: hispidus
Echinoderms: The Crown-of-Thorns Starfish is an Echinoderm in the Coral Reef. The scientific name is Acanthaster planci. The Crown-of-Thorns Starfish lives in reefs in the Red Sea, Indian Ocean, and Pacific Ocean. The Crown-of-Thorns Starfish is a carnivore, and most known for its eating of Coral Polyps.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Asteroidea
Order: Valvatida
Family: Acanthasteridae
Genus: Acanthaster
species: planci
The Blue sea star is another echinoderm. The scientific name is Linckia laevigata. The Blue sea star lives in shallow, tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, and the Pacific Ocean. The Blue sea star is a carnivore, and eats sponges and clams.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Asteroidea
Order: Valvatida
Family: Ophidiasteridae
Genus: Linckia
species: laevigata
The Purple Sea Urchin is another echinoderm. The scientific name is Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. The Purple Sea Urchin lives in rocky, shallow seafloors in the Pacific Ocean, and off the West Coast of North America. The Purple sea urchin is a carnivore, and eats sponges, mussels, and barnacles.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Echinoidea
Order: Echinoida
Family: Strongylocentrotidae
Genus: Strongylocentrotus
species: purpuratus
Sponges: The Clavelina picta is a sponge found in the Coral Reef. The Clavelina picta is also called the Painted Tunicate. The Painted Tunicate lives in mangroves or harbors or other places below the surface. The Painted Tunicate is a omnivore and eats anything it sucks in such as plankton.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Ascidiacea
Order: Enterogona
Family: Clavelinidae
Genus: Clavelina
species: picta
The Xestospongia testudinaria is another sponge. It is also called the Barrel Sponge. The Barrel Sponge lives in coral reefs, lagoons, or on any rock or coral substance. The Barrel Sponge is an omnivore and eats anything that it sucks in.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Poifera
Class: Demospongiae
Order: Haposclerida
Family: Petrosiidae
Genus: Xestospongia
species: testudinaria
Flatworms: The Pseudobiceros hancockanus is a flatworm. The common name is Hancock's flatworm. The Hancock's flatworm lives under rubble in the coral reef. The Hancock's flatworm is a carnivore that eats colonial tunicates.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Platyhelminthes
Class: Turbellaria
Order: Polycladida
Family: Pseudoceritidae
Genus: Pseudobiceros
species: hancockanus
The Red-Rim flatworm is another flatworm. The scientific name is Pseudoceros splendidus. The Red-Rim flatworm lives on rocks in Coral Reefs. The Red-Rim flatworm is a carnivore.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Platyhelminthes
Class: Turbellaria
Order: Polycladida
Family: Pseudocertidae
Genus: Pseudoceros
species: splendidus
Coelenterates: On etype of coral is the Dendrogyra cylindricus. The Dendrogyra cylindricus is also known as the Pillar Coral. Pillar Coral lives at the bottom of the ocean at 200 feet maximum. The Pillar Coral can catch microscopic plankton to small fish they prefer to eat a photosynthetic algea called zooxanthellae. The Pillar Coral is a carnivore.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Anthozoa
Order: Scleractinia
Family: Meandrinidae
Genus: Dendrogyra
species: cylindricus
Another example is the Diploria labyrinthiformis. The common name is Brain Coral. Brain Coral lives in outer or offshore reefs. Brain Coral eats zooxanthellae amd is a carnivore.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum:
Class:
Order:
Family:
Genus: Diploria
species: labyrinthiformis
Jawless Fish: The Chaenopsis limbaughi, or Yellowface Pikeblenny, is a jawless fish that lives in the coral reef. The Yellowface Pikeblenny lives in seagrasses. It eats shrimp, worms, and planktonic copepods so it is a carnivore.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Chaenopsidae
Genus: Chaenopsis
species: limbaughi
The Ophioblennius atlanticus is another jawless fish found in the coral reef. The common name is the Redlip Blenny. It eats algea and detritus. The Redlip Blenny is an omnivore.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Blenniidae
Genus: Ophioblennius
species: atlanticus
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